


When Rain Falls

by xSteleAliniax



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Kissing in the Rain, Love, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, Rain, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27598846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xSteleAliniax/pseuds/xSteleAliniax
Summary: When Chat Noir sees Marinette walking in the rain, he follows her and finds her in a very unexpected place. (Adrenette)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 8
Kudos: 170





	When Rain Falls

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, Archive audiences! I'm new to AO3 but I do have experience in writing fan-fictions on another site. I was hoping to broaden my horizons a bit over here! I've heard awesome things about this site and the wonderful community, so I look forward to sharing my work with you all!  
> This is just a short one-shot I wrote up the other day, but I have a ton of other things to offer from different fandoms, including but not limited to Fairy Tail and My Hero Academia. I hope you'll all enjoy this scene and look forward to more in the near future!

It was the first rain of the season and it was falling hard. The wind wasn’t strong, but even the slight breeze was enough to bring a chill to her bones. She wore her usual ensemble of pink jeans with a white shirt, but traded the cardigan for something a little thicker and swapped her ballet flats for boots to keep the rain from soaking her toes. She remembered an umbrella at least (she’d forgotten it a number of times last year) and held it firmly in one hand.

She trudged along the desolate streets with her head down, watching the water dance across the pavement and bounce off the toes of her boots. It was mid-afternoon but the dark clouds made it look like night had already fallen. Street lamps were lit and pedestrians were few and far between. Her only saving grace in this cold wet world was that she hadn’t seen an akumatized victim all day. She wouldn’t have been able to handle it if Hawk Moth had decided to evilize someone right now. She needed a few days off—preferably a few _weeks_ if she had any say in the matter.

“Little buggy on the street,” she sang softly, “all alone without her kitty…”

Marinette sighed.

_Five days._

That was how long it had been since she’d last seen Chat Noir. She’d gone out twice as Ladybug—soaring across rooftops in the hopes of running into him—but with no akumas on the loose, he had no reason to be wandering the streets in his superhero form. Sometimes he drove her absolutely crazy, but she’d gotten used to seeing him every day, and now more than ever she needed his comforting presence. He was the only other person in the world who might understand what she was going through.

 _Where are you, Chat Noir?_

A particularly big puddle interrupted another sigh. She gave a faint shriek of surprise as the water soaked her from the knees down. She shivered and gripped her umbrella tighter as if that would somehow keep the chill out. It didn’t help, though. The rain pelted her from all directions and now her clothes were wet. Even so, she continued on toward her destination with quick, purposeful strides. She wasn’t going to let the cold keep her from her goal. She’d already been avoiding doing this for days. It was time.

She took a shortcut through an alleyway and hummed her song once more. It was a cheap knockoff of Chat Noir’s song, the one she occasionally heard him sing and always thought was just a result of her kitty being dramatic. But now she understood. It was lonely without your partner around, even if you weren’t in love with them. It must have been extra hard for him since he felt so strongly for her. She felt bad enough as it was—like the loneliness was going to eat her alive.

Her whole body gave a shudder, though this time it wasn’t from the cold. A few tears dripped down her cheeks but she ignored them and let them stay there. It wasn’t like she could get any wetter at this point anyway. What difference would some tears make?

“Are you going to be okay, Marinette?” Tikki asked from her side purse, face full of concern but also with a hint of sadness all her own.

Marinette tried for a smile but knew it didn’t fully touch her eyes. “Yeah, I’ll be fine, Tikki. It’s just been a really tough few days. I just never expected this to happen, you know?”

“None of us did,” the little kwami agreed mournfully. “It was very sudden.”

Marinette nodded and the pair fell into silence once more. 

It was a much longer walk than she’d expected. She felt like she’d been on this path for hours, getting increasingly more numb by the minute. She hoped she was close but also prayed she would never make it. If she didn’t see it with her own eyes, she could pretend that it wasn’t real, but once she was there…there would be no more denying it. 

_I wish you were here with me, kitty…_ she thought. Maybe it would make it just a little less painful if she had her partner by her side.

She passed the Eiffel Tower which stood strong and proud, and the Louvre where she and Chat Noir fought so many villains. The bridge where Andrè frequently sold his Sweetheart’s Ice Cream, empty and sad in this weather, and the rooftop in which Chat had made her a special dinner and she’d broken his heart.

So many memories made in just one city. Had it really only been less than two years since she and Chat Noir became superheroes? It felt more like five had passed, maybe more. They fought supervillains on a daily basis, each one making the days feel longer than they really were. 

The victims of these akumas lost their memories, but Ladybug and Chat Noir, Marinette and whoever her kitty was behind the mask, remembered every encounter. It made the days drag on, but not always in a bad way. She’d grown to enjoy the time she spent with Chat, even when they were battling for their lives. 

But now the fun was over and she was all alone once more, just like before Hawk Moth ever existed. Funny how an evil mastermind had brought so much joy into her life by evilizing all of her friends. 

_What does that say about me as a person…?_

She shook her head to clear the thoughts away. Today wasn’t about feeling sorry for herself. She didn’t need to think about Hawk Moth or his evil doings, today was about someone else, someone she was already late in meeting.

She picked up the pace, nearing the end of her journey. She could see the meeting place already, standing out like a sore thumb amidst all the beauty in Paris. She hesitated outside the entrance, hand raised beyond the umbrella’s reach, causing her jacket sleeve to get soaked in the rain. She was frozen in place as if Lady WiFi had struck her with her power. She closed her eyes, forced back the sob that threatened, and pushed through the gate. 

* * *

Chat Noir was perched at the top of the Eiffel Tower while rain pelted him straight through to the bone. His hair stuck to his face and neck, and black cat ears drooped in sorrow. But he stayed where he was, one leg propped up, an elbow resting atop his knee, and his black claws tapping rhythmically against the railing with his free hand.

“Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his Lady…” he sang softly to himself. 

He didn’t even have Plagg there to keep him company, to crack jokes and ease the sadness that gripped him like a noose around the neck. He could have transformed back into Adrien, then his friend would be more than willing to talk, but he just didn’t have the energy at the moment. Besides, Plagg wasn’t always the best person when you needed cheering up. He would probably end up talking about cheese and how much better it was than humans. 

Ladybug would be a better companion at the moment. She always knew what to say to make every situation seem better than it was.

 _I miss you, Ladybug,_ he thought with a sigh. _Where have you been_?

He’d been waiting here every day for days, spending hours on this very tower, hoping to catch a glimpse of his Lady flying by. But she, too, had disappeared along with Hawk Moth. He even tried hunting her down at some of their usual spots—the Louvre, the Pont des Arts bridge where Andrè sold his special ice cream. He even spent a solid three hours on the rooftop where he’d made a romantic dinner for Ladybug, hoping maybe that would be the place she would turn up.

No such luck.

For the first time in his life, he wished he would catch sight of a supervillain just so he’d have the excuse to see her again. He immediately felt guilty for even considering such a thing. It had been suspiciously quiet the last few days; not a single akuma had been spotted. He was starting to think that Hawk Moth had given up on getting their miraculous. The thought filled him with both joy and sadness. If Hawk Moth was no longer a threat…then would he ever see Ladybug again?

 _If Hawk Moth is gone,_ he thought, _then maybe Ladybug and I can finally know each other’s true identities?_

Except…how would he know where to find her? Maybe she would never transform into her Ladybug guise again—she’d have no reason to after all. And worse, maybe she didn’t _want_ to know his true identity. Maybe she would be happier if she never had to deal with him and his annoying puns again. She complained about them all the time. Was she avoiding him now for that very reason?

 _You can’t think like that,_ he scolded himself. _It’s thoughts like those that call upon Hawk Moth. You can’t help Ladybug if_ you’re _the one being akumatized._

“Great,” he muttered aloud, “now I’m having a pity party.”

He didn’t really think Ladybug was happy right now. He knew she was probably out there somewhere, without her disguise, feeling just as badly as he was. She was probably too sad to transform into Ladybug. Maybe she even felt guilty herself for what transpired. The thought made him feel even worse. He wished he knew who she was so he could go to her and offer her comfort. They were a team after all. Through good times and bad, he wanted to be there for her.

A flash of raven hair and bright pink pants caught his eye just then. His gaze unconsciously flicked over to the familiar girl hustling through the streets, umbrella in hand. Even though he couldn’t see her face, he somehow _knew_ who it was.

_Marinette._

But why was she out in this weather? The rain was coming down relentlessly and the wind was biting. Even in his costume, which offered some resistance from the cold, he was shivering. She looked to be on a mission with her hurried steps, seemingly unaware of the water splashing into her boots. He could see the rain-soaked pants from where he sat and wondered if she was as cold as he felt. Maybe he should follow her and offer her…what? 

A jacket? 

He wasn’t wearing one. 

A hug?

She probably wouldn’t appreciate that from Chat Noir.

_But maybe if I’m Adrien…_

He stood up on the railing, got the general direction she was headed, then used his stick to safely and quickly propel down to the ground. Once he landed, he ducked behind a tree and transformed back into Adrien Agreste. 

Plagg floated up to eye level and looked at him expectantly. With a roll of his eye, Adrien tossed the little kwami a wedge of camembert cheese.

“You’re such a pig, Plagg,” he commented as he hurried in the direction Marinette had disappeared. He wanted to catch up to her before she got too far ahead of him and he was unable to find her. He supposed he could always transform into Chat Noir again and scout her from the rooftops, but he didn’t really feel like doing that.

“You’re just a party pooper,” Plagg argued as he chewed on his cheese. “What are we doing anyway? Why are you in such a hurry?”

“I have to find Marinette,” Adrien explained as he jogged along the streets.

“Marinette?” Plagg repeated dumbly. “That weird girl from your school with the stutter?”

“She doesn’t have a stutter, Plagg,” Adrien argued in her defense. “She just gets nervous sometimes. Besides, I like the way she speaks.”

“If you say so.” Plagg sounded doubtful. 

Adrien ignored him and kept walking until at last, he caught sight of her, standing in front of a wrought iron gate, frozen like a statue. For a moment, he thought someone must have gotten akumatized and paralyzed her like this, she was just so _still_. But then her whole body gave a violent shudder and she finally pushed the gate open and went inside.

Something was starting to stir inside his mind then but he couldn’t quite get the sense of what it was. It wasn’t _that_ weird that Marinette would be here, lots of Parisians frequented this place, but the timing _was_ a little odd. Still, he couldn’t fully understand why he thought that. 

So he followed her as silently as a cat, taking his time and making sure she was several feet ahead of him, letting her lead the way.

When she stopped, it was like a bomb had gone off inside of his brain. Everything seemed to click into place at once and all he could do was stand there staring, mouth open in surprise. But at the same time, he wasn’t surprised at all—the evidence had been there all along, he’d just been too blind to see it. 

It all made sense now, as he stood there watching Marinette crying on the rain-soaked earth, in front of a grave only one other person should even know existed.

 _Ladybug_. 

* * *

Marinette fell to the ground in front of the gravestone, her feet no longer able to hold her up as pain crippled her. The ground was wet and dirty but she barely even noticed, and somehow she still clutched the umbrella tightly in her hands. Not that it was making much of a difference with how wet she already was. Still, it was comforting to have something tangible to hold onto. It helped keep her grounded. 

“Master Fu…” she whispered and a hiccuped sob escaped her lips. Tears poured from her eyes as relentlessly as the rain from the sky. Even the gods were mourning this loss it seemed. “I wish I had been able to save you…” 

Once the sobs settled, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then produced the wrapped object she’d brought as an offering. She stared at it for a long moment: the sleek green shell with the initials “LB” inscribed on its belly, the big round eyes and the ridiculous smile. It was cheap and lame, but she’d spent a long time choosing it. 

The turtle represented his kwami, Wayzz, and the initials were obviously for Ladybug. The little kwami had helped her pick out the one he thought most depicted the man in his youth. She and Wayzz both thought Master Fu would have liked it.

 _If he was still alive,_ she added silently. Another sob was working its way up into her throat when she heard a small splash from behind her. She tensed but didn’t turn around. It was probably just another mourner, coming to bring flowers to their loved one. 

The someone settled in beside her, dark pants soaked through and blond hair a wild mess atop his head. Deep green eyes were barely visible from underneath the sticky strands, but she could still make out the devastation in them. He didn’t even smile at her like he normally would, but he did reach out and wrap his hand tightly around one of hers. 

“Hello, Marinette,” he said softly. 

“Adrien,” she breathed. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I followed you.”

Her eyes went wide. “You did? But why?”

He turned his gaze to the grave in front of them. “I just wanted to. You looked so sad. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Tears continued falling and the sob she’d been holding back suddenly burst out like a dam exploding. She let out a loud, pained cry and threw herself into Adrien’s arms, dropping the umbrella and soaking them both. Without a moment's hesitation, his arms wrapped around her and held her tightly against his chest. 

“Marinette…” he breathed into her neck. “It’s going to be okay…I promise.”

“It’s not!” she sobbed. “This is the worst thing that’s ever happened!” 

He hugged her even tighter. “I’ll be here for you, from now on. Now that I know for sure, not a day will go by where you’ll feel loneliness. I know what that’s like and I won’t ever let that happen to you.”

She didn’t know what he meant but she was in too much pain to ask him. She clung to him like a lifeline and allowed herself to just be vulnerable and cry. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Now that she was _here,_ the full impact of what happened hit her like a ton of bricks. 

Master Fu standing before Ladybug, arms outstretched to shield her. 

Hawk Moth’s evil smile as his cane came down, releasing the killing blow.

Ladybug screaming; Chat Noir pulling her away.

The complete silence that followed for days afterward. 

Marinette had gone to the funeral as herself three days ago, but she’d stayed hidden in the shadows, afraid to bring any unnecessary attention to herself. No one knew about her relationship with Master Fu except for—

 _Chat Noir_.

She pulled away from Adrien’s embrace and looked up into concerned green orbs. His hand reached out, fingers gingerly caressing her cheek in a loving touch. There was a knowing look in that gaze she hadn’t seen earlier, almost entirely hidden within the depths of his own despair.

“How-” she started but then shook her head. “Never mind. I should be getting back home now. I didn’t exactly get permission to leave the house today and it’s getting pretty late.”

“I’ll walk you home!” He spoke forcefully before she’d even finished her sentence. He stood to his feet and offered her a hand. “My father doesn’t know where I am either so I’d like to avoid going home as long as possible, too,” he added with a wink.

She allowed a small smile and took his proffered hand. He pulled her up but didn’t let go of her hand, instead giving it a gentle squeeze with his own. “You really do look beautiful with your hair down.”

Embarrassment turned her whole face rouge. She hadn’t even realized she’d forgotten to do her hair that morning, she’d been too busy trying to convince herself to come here today. 

“Oh, uh…” she forced a laugh but it quickly died. “You, uh, really think so?”

He nodded seriously. “Yes. You’re always beautiful, Marinette.” He bent down to pick up her fallen umbrella and shook off the water before holding it out to her. “So you don’t get more wet. You’re going to catch cold.”

_Deja vu…_

She recalled the first day he offered her an umbrella just like this one. The tenderness in his eyes, much like the expression he held now, and the warmth of his fingers as they brushed against her own to exchange the item.

He smiled. “Come on, Marinette. Let’s get you out of this rain.”

He gave her hand a light tug and she followed wordlessly alongside him, gaze fixed on the side of his perfectly sculpted face. When his eyes flicked to hers and his lips turned up into a smile, she quickly turned her face down to the ground. Her hair hid his expression from view but she could picture the small frown there anyway. She was doing it again, pushing him away when all he wanted to do was be there for her.

Just like her kitty always was.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried not to trip over the rough pavement as they walked. That would be embarrassing, forcing Adrien to come to her rescue because she was too preoccupied to walk in a straight line without tripping everywhere. She was clumsy enough as it was, but when her mind was spinning it was downright impossible not to trip over _something_.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” he said suddenly, pulling her from her thoughts. 

“Thanks,” she murmured half-heartedly. She didn’t want to think about Master Fu right now, she had so much going on inside her head at the moment. She’d done what she came to do: she visited his grave, paid her respects, had a good cry session. Now she needed to come to terms with the way things were. Master Fu was gone and he wasn’t coming back. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Adrien repeated his words from earlier and squeezed her hand again. “We’re a team, right? Like I said earlier, I won’t let you be alone. Just tell me what you need from me and I’ll do it—anything at all.”

“Anything?” she asked. 

They were walking into the alley she’d come through on her way over, giving them brief shelter from the downpour.

“Anything,” he promised, the word full of conviction.

She paused momentarily in her steps and met his gaze levelly. “I need you to tell me something, Adrien.” He nodded vigorously. “How did you know? About me?”

He frowned for a moment but then realization shone in his eyes.

“It doesn’t matter,” he told her. He stepped in front of her and pushed the umbrella back to get a better view of her face. “Marinette, I’ve always suspected you could be Ladybug. It just didn’t fully hit me until today.”

“He’s right, you know.” Plagg flew out from inside Adrien’s shirt. “Every time he thinks about who could possibly be Ladybug, you’re always the one he considers.”

“Plagg,” Adrien warned. The kwami gave an indignant huff and flew across the alley to give them some privacy. Tikki followed after a concerned glance at Marinette.

Marinette’s gaze shifted downward. “But…we can’t know each other’s secret identities, Adrien. We’re not supposed to—”

“I don’t care!” He practically shouted, startling her into dropping the umbrella once more. He took a step toward her, eyes dark and serious. She stepped back but he just advanced on her until she was flush with the wall. His hands went on either side of her head and he leaned in. “Marinette, I don’t want to keep secrets from you anymore. I don’t care about the stupid rules that say we aren’t allowed to know each other’s true selves. We’re a _team_ , M’lady.”

She gasped at the familiar nickname. “A-Adrien!”

“I’m not finished,” he cut her off. “Marinette, I love you and I’ve _always_ been drawn to you, with or without the mask. I don’t care if you’re the clumsy girl who trips over her own words, or the graceful swan who leaps across rooftops. You’re the girl of my dreams, and I can’t keep hiding from you any longer. I _won’t_.”

Marinette’s eyes were wide and her mouth gaped. She had no idea he felt that way. All this time, she’d been afraid that Adrien would reject her feelings for him, so she pushed him away again and again because at least that was easier than the pain of him not returning her love.

But he _did_ love her. 

Or, he thought he did anyway.

She sighed and dropped her chin to her chest. “You’re in love with Ladybug, Adrien, not Marinette. Marinette is…she’s nobody. She’s just a mess.”

His fingers forced her chin up. “Marinette is _perfect_ ,” he argued, then his lips pressed to hers. 

It was like a fire ignited inside of her. Her body went from cold to scalding in a heartbeat and her lips felt like the sun itself had settled upon them. She tentatively reached up with her hands and let them rest on his chest, feeling the frantic beating of his heart from within. 

He parted his lips and then sighed into her mouth when she followed suit. Their tongues stayed locked inside their own mouths and their lips were fumbling and awkward and she was pretty sure she was doing everything completely wrong…but it felt so perfect she didn’t even care. 

When his teeth nicked hers they both winced and then laughed under their breath. He pulled away but kept his face close to hers so she could still feel his hot breath on her lips and smell the faint tinge of camembert mixed with Adrien’s own wonderful scent.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” he said as if by way of explanation.

“Me too,” she breathed in response. For way longer than he would ever be allowed to know.

“Now what?” He asked somewhat breathlessly.

She gave a shy smile. “Now we go home, silly kitty. It’s raining.”

His face fell. “Aw, come on. If I go home I’m going to get scolded by my father for sneaking out.”

Marinette laughed. “That is so not my problem. Besides, I’m about to get reprimanded for the same thing. We might as well go get in trouble together.” She booped his nose playfully. She kind of wished he was wearing his catsuit so she could ding his silly little bell.

A grin pulled at his lips. “Well, when you put it that way, it doesn’t sound so bad.” He swept his hand out grandly. “After you, M’lady.”

She rolled her eyes and started walking back down the alleyway. “You know you can’t get used to calling Marinette by that nickname. Our identities must remain secret.”

He snatched her hand up and kissed the back of it. “Okay. I’ll call you ‘Princess’ instead.” He gave her a smoldering look.

She blushed fiercely. “Let’s just stick with Marinette for now, okay, my kitty?”

His eyes twinkled. “I love it when you call me that. You’re _purrfect_ , my princess.” He gave her a grandiose bow.

She rolled her eyes again. “Oh no, does this mean you’re going to start using more puns and cracking jokes all the time? And not just as Chat?”

Another wink. “You know you love it.”

She couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “Actually, I think I just might.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I had this dream the other day that Marinette was crying over Master Fu's grave and Adrien spotted her there and had a sudden flash of realization. Enter two teens in alleyway…very PG-rated smooch, the end. That's what brought life to this seemingly random and somewhat depressing one-shot! But hey, Adrenette for the win!
> 
> This is not my first attempt at writing MLB fanfiction, but it is the first that you all are allowed to read! I have a Merichat fic in the works (should be extra spicy), and another Adrenette scene that may or may not ever see the light of day. But for now, we have this little intro into the world of Miraculous by Stele! I'm not sure how much more content from this particular series I'll be writing (I'm still diligently working on a few other projects), but it's still fun to do something a little different here and there!
> 
> I might be convinced to insert a sneak peek into my Merichat fic if you guys really want me to. But you'll have to say purrtty please! *wink*
> 
> Enjoy the rest of your day and let me know what you thought of this little scene!
> 
> Stele out!


End file.
